The Springfield Chronicles: Bart Simpson Series
by Covershot
Summary: First in the Chronicles. After a large fight with Lisa, Bart struggles to understand where he stands with his family. Contains Bart/Lisa, brotherly, and Bart/Jessica. R&R.
1. Behind the Bartman

Behind the Bartman

Behind the Bartman

**Behind the Bartman**

Disclaimer: I do not own _The Simpsons_, therefore, you have no grounds to sue me.

Again, some explanations are warranted. Unfortunately, _Springfield After Dark_ is discontinued and in order to proceed with _The Springfield Chronicles_, I've taken that story down. Check my profile for a more in-depth explanation.

--

He was never known as the model child. He would never become 'America's Brightest Student'. He would never win awards for the most selfless person in Springfield. Pretty much everything a child should be, Bart Simpson wasn't. So why was the boy such an enigma? What came to the surface was only one fraction of what made up 'America's Favorite Hellraiser'. I could sense that there was something more to Bart than what he showed at school. But what made Bart Simpson tick? That's what I, Allison Taylor, was determined to find out.

Before I get into my experience with the boy, I want you to know why I'm sharing my new story with you. My friend and Bart's brother, Lisa, had become head of the school news paper, of which I was a member…

… I had just come to the newspaper on the first day Lisa became the head…

--

"_Hey Alex," Lisa said. "Do you mind if I ask you to do one special assignment for me?"_

_I glanced around at the almost empty room. The only students who could be bothered to join the club were the social outcasts simply looking for a place to belong. There was Martin Prince, Database (I have no idea what his real name is), Sherri and Terri, and Wendell. Even so, with Lisa's help, things got done._

"_Sure," I answered, just trying to get away from the boredom. "What is it?"_

"_Well Alison, you know that we have a new section '… Students…', where we interview random students from the halls," Lisa explained. I sat patiently, just waiting for her to get to the point. "… Well, I picked a random students' name from the hat and … he happened to be … uh … my brother, Bart."_

_Oh no! From what I'd seen of Lisa's brother, I wasn't willing to get too close to him anytime soon. After all, he was the brainpower and manipulation that convinced and helped Lisa to sabotage my project._

"_Yes…?" I responded, hoping she wouldn't give me what I thought she might give me. "… What do you want me to do?"_

_Lisa sighed. "I want you to interview Bart," she admitted. "Normally I would do it myself, but c'mon, he would help me. He wouldn't help anyone here but you because you two haven't gotten acquainted yet."_

"_Yes we have!" I protested. "He helped you sabotage my project!"_

"_I know," Lisa said. "But that was for me, not for you. C'mon Alison, you're our only hope."_

_I sighed in defeat and told Lisa I would do the job…_

--

… And as our local suicidal bartender would say, "And that's the origin of that!" So now I was forced to interview the school delinquent, Bart Simpson. At that point, I assumed Bart was the Bart he showed to us at school, a mean, shallow little jackass who cared little for the feelings of those less popular than him. Bart had a reputation here at Springfield Elementary. He was a class clown, who loved to make his peers laugh, at the expense of a good education

Bart was a master prankster. His skills ranged from petty thievery to vandalism under the alias "El Barto", a name which everyone but Principal Skinner could tie back to the son of the devil. The number of pranks he pulled was appalling, from stealing Teacher's Textbooks to ruining the school medieval festival by plaguing it with rats. Bart was always in detention and had gotten expelled numerous times. But somehow, he always came back. This was the boy I had to interview and bring back to Lisa by the next school paper. Man, life really sucks sometimes. But you know me. I never leave a job undone. Bart was just another job.

--

After school ended, I decided to sit next to Lisa. She knew more about Bart than anyone else at the school. Through my own sense of logic, I decided that it was only fair for me to question Lisa as it was Lisa herself who had bestowed this job to me. As I entered the bus, Bart and Nelson were at the back. Bart spotted me – and promptly shot a spitball right at the top of my forehead.

"Ha – HA!!" Nelson called, his voice carrying all over the bus. Before I could even relieve my forehead of its disgusting companion, what seemed to be the entire bus was laughing and snickering in my direction. Desperate, I cast a glance to Otto Mann, who wasn't even paying attention! Annoyed, I sat down next to Lisa, the person to blame for my troubles.

"You owe me big," was the first thing I said to her.

Lisa seemed sorry for the torment she had already put me through. "Well I could make it up to you by inviting you to my house," she suggested. I immediately knew what she meant. While we were supposedly doing our homework, I could somehow get to Bart's room and find some clues about his personal life. Of course, there was a flaw with that. Although I would search the room, legally, I couldn't use any information without Bart's consent. But that was okay. I had another motive.

So I called my parents on my cell phone and told them where I'd be headed today. My dad wasn't too thrilled with the idea, still believing Lisa unworthy of my friendship. But he was nice enough to grant me the needed permission. Eventually, the bus stopped and I got off with Lisa and Bart.

Upon hearing about the change of plans, Bart was the first to say something … bad it was negative. "Oh, I see," Bart said, in a patronizing tone. "Is the nerd patrol gonna have a power study session?" He jeered.

I was about to say something back when the Simpsons' mother, Marge, appeared at the door with a plate of cookies. She was ecstatic at my being there and scolded Bart for making fun of us. Bart didn't seem to mind and strolled right in, giving us a mocking stare.

--

This was my first stop on the road to finding out about Bart Simpson. While he was in the living room, drowned in the works of _The Itchy & Scratchy Show_, a show I find highly revolting, I snuck upstairs with a note that I was going to the bathroom.

Upon reaching the upstairs, I heard Homer Simpson, the father, in the shower, singing a song horribly off-key. I froze for a moment when the shower went off, and I soon wished I hadn't. Dripping wet and stark naked, Homer Simpson emerged from the bathroom, making no attempt to cover himself and any indecency on his part. NOW I needed a bathroom.

"Hey you're Lisa's friend," Homer addressed me. "How ya doin'?"

"F, Fine… Mr. Simpson…" The sight of him was horrible. And the most ludicrous part of it was, he didn't even seem to realize his mistake. Here he was, revealing a man's secret things to a girl child. "I'm just fine…" Homer scratched himself in his most private area and went downstairs. I was appalled.

--

Once I had liberated myself of Homer's indecency and the contents of my lunch, I resumed my quest. There were only four rooms upstairs, one for Lisa, for Marge and Homer, for Maggie, and one for Bart. It didn't take long for me to find it. Upon first glance, my subject's room was a shrine to the idol of Bart, myself, and countless other children in the world: Krusty the Clown. Various Krusty merchandise littered the room. From Krusty posters to Krusty dolls to Krusty alarm clocks and Krusty calculators. Anywhere in the room you went, you couldn't avoid the mindless stare and smile of the Clown children loved so much.

I noted that Bart's other objects, the ones without the word 'Krusty' on them, were a slingshot, a pocket knife, and a skateboard. So this was all I could find on Bart? The three items he displayed to others and the many merchandises of the Clown that might as well have called himself 'God'. I sighed, there was no basis for my story now.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I froze, recognizing the accusing voice that beckoned me to answer. I spun, and came face-to-face with the Spawn of Satan himself, Bart Simpson. After a moment's silence, he demanded, "Well?"

I chuckled nervously, but Bart did not look happy. "I was just … uh …"

"You know what?" Bart broke in. "I'm telling my mom. That way she'll ban you from this house." He turned to leave.

"No wait!" I called out, not wanting this household to be the first I was banished from. "I have a reason!"

Bart stopped and closed the door, waiting by it with crossed arms. "I'm waiting…"

"I, I was simply doing a story on you for the paper," I explained. "And I just needed some … uh… clues about you…"

Bart seemed taken aback. "We have a school paper?" he asked. Well no one ever said the paper was popular.

"Yeah, and I was assigned to interview you…"

"Well duh," Bart said, a cocky grin forming on his face. "I would think so."

"And why is that?"

Bart shot me a 'boy-are-you stupid' face. "Because you need more readers right?" he said. "And no one pulls in readers like…" he jerked a thumb in his chest. "… The Bartman himself…"

That annoyed me. To think that he would be so arrogant as if to suggest that the only way the paper would be great was if he was in it. "Believe it or not," I told him. "The world wouldn't stop spinning if you were to die here, right now."

"Oh yeah?" Bart asked, in a challenging manner.

"Yeah!" I retorted.

"We'll see about that," Bart said, turning away. I knew where he would be going now, to tell his mother about my trespassing. But in revealing his arrogance, he just revealed a piece of himself.

"Go ahead," I challenged. "And I'll tell everyone at school you're a tattle-tale."

As expected, Bart stopped in his tracks. I knew it. He was so arrogant, he would never tell on anyone. There was one thing for the paper: Bart Simpson was arrogant.

"Go ahead, ask your stupid questions."

"Alright." I felt superior now. I had bested Bart in a game of wits. Truthfully, it wasn't the hardest of accomplishments. "When were you born?"

"April 1st," Bart answered. Ah, there was another piece of the puzzle solved. Did Bart pull pranks just because April Fools' Day was his birthday? I wanted to find out.

"Bart, let's face it. You were never known as the model students and you have a reputation for pulling pranks. Does that have something to do with your birthday?"

Bart suddenly turned defensive. "No…" he muttered. Well apparently, he revealed another piece of himself. Bart had neglected to remember that was his excuse that one time when Principal Skinner demanded to know why he did what he did. There was a reason Bart was Bart and it had nothing to do with April 1st.

"So why do you perform so many pranks at school?" I asked. I was hoping to solve this the easy way.

"Because I feel like it," Bart returned. So much for the easy way.

'Because I feel like it' would not do for a sufficient answer. I had to find out the reason for his pranks. And I suspected I had a lead…

"Bart, are you proud of your sister's accomplishments?" was my next question. I hoped that I was on to something here.

"Yeah, I guess…" But Bart was hesitant, still defensive. "Why wouldn't I be? She is the future of this family…"

Bingo! Bart had revealed a third piece of himself. He was obviously jealous of Lisa Simpson and her accomplishments. This was a brand new path that would put '… Students…' at the front of the paper. I had to continue with this lead.

"Bart, are you jealous of Lisa?" This was the perfect timing. Bart was reeling from his slip-up earlier and was now gonna have to reveal more. Bart couldn't lie on this question with a straight face and now he was gonna say more.

"No!" he shot back, defensive. But he was obviously lying, anyone could see that. I gave him a look and his admitted, "… Yeah, a little…"

I had hit a gold mine! Bart Simpson was jealous of his sister! And I could see why. Lisa was a straight 'A' student, loved by the faculty and staff and Bart was … well… Bart.

It was time to tie this in to my next question. "Are you parents proud?"

"Are they!?" Bart exclaimed. To him, the question seemed incredible. "That's all they talk about! Lisa this and Lisa that. Meanwhile, the only recognition I get is 'Bart will never do that again Mr. Skinner…'"

So this is what I got. Bart Simpson had an inferiority complex with his sister. I was skilled at English and reading between the lines. From what Bart had told me, he secretly said "I'm Bart Simpson, but no one cares, because there's Lisa. As long as they have Lisa, my parents don't care about me."

I could tie this in to something else. "Is that why you pull pranks Bart?" I asked. "Because you can get recognized?"

For a moment, Bart didn't answer. And then, he said, "Yeah. I mean, I like attention too, even if it is bad."

Suddenly, I didn't feel like asking any more questions. Something Bart said had touched me. He felt neglected in the face of Lisa's greatness. Overshadowed, if you will. In any case, it wasn't the face of arrogance, 'The Bartman' showed at school. Bart had weaknesses. His major one was he didn't like to be ignored. That was why Bart did what Bart did. That was why he was so arrogant on the outside.

Bart broke into my thoughts with a loud sigh and fell back on his bed, his face suddenly the picture of regret. "Something wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "I suppose this'll be in the newspaper?"

This threw me off totally and suddenly I faced a moral implication. My dad had always told me that morals bow in the face of knowledge, but now, facing a moral dilemma, I was totally stumped. One part of me, the caring, compassionate part, told me not to. If I released such a story, I would kick Bart out of the popular kids. Bart would be kicked down from the top of the Elementary School food chain to where Lisa and I were, and our position wasn't that great. On the other hand, I could get more recognition by exposing Bart for the caring, sensitive soul he truly was, behind his arrogant, braggart exterior.

I had a revelation about my subject at that very moment. Bart Simpson was the eldest of the Simpson children by two years, very charming and very charismatic. When Lisa came along, she showed talents and intelligence that greatly surpassed her brother's. Lisa became more popular with her family than was Bart. Bart was outcast in his own family, the place were intelligence and good grades beats charisma and charm in an instant. Lisa was the shining jewel of the family, whereas Bart was the black sheep.

But in school, it was different. Most of the children there value that charm and charisma over intelligence and grades. In fact, they often go a step further to harass those with good grades and put them down. It was in this arena that Bart triumphed over Lisa. But it wouldn't last long. Bart knows, as well as other kids, that by the time the school year ends and a new one begins, Bart will have to work again for his social standing. With Lisa, all of her grades and intelligence will be forever admired by the family.

This was sibling rivalry at its finest: Bart vs. Lisa for popularity and recognition. I began to see their lives through their eyes. Bart and Lisa fought regularly over many things: the television remote, territory, etc. But the truth was that they fought for one thing: popularity. And Bart was fighting a losing battle. I realized it, he realized it, Lisa realized it, I'm pretty sure even their father, Homer, realized it. And this realization made me sad.

When I emerged from my thoughts, I saw Bart lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He turned towards me with contempt in his face. "Well," he said. "Aren't you gonna work on your story?"

I couldn't. To reveal this side of Bart, this nature, would be to destroy the boy. This recognition and popularity by his peers was all Bart could hope for. When he grew up, Bart suspected, Lisa would represent the Simpson family and he would be forgotten. I had to help him before this frightening future might become a reality.

"Bart," I said, turning his face to meet mine. "I'll make you a deal. I won't print the story if you decide to take your schoolwork a little more seriously."

Bart smiled at me, understanding what I'd meant. He nodded once and I stood up, knowing this would be alright. "I'll see you later," I said as I left. "Remember our deal." And with that, I closed the door and left.


	2. Under the Starlit Sky

Good God, that's right dad, I said it, why does he have to be such a pain!?

Perhaps I should explain to you why I'm out here now. My dad, Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, the pastor at the First Church of Springfield, continues to make me angry day after day. And this particular day, I just had to step out here and clear my head. It had been a pretty uneventful Sunday. My dad, the epitome of irritating, had dragged us out of the house for another day of 'church fun', the kind of fun that makes the time crawl. The only thing good about church is that I get to see him there. That's pretty much it.

Anyhow, I was there, listening to him deliver a sermon on 'The Importance of Family Values' when a former friend of mine, Bart Simpson, happened to be sitting next to me. Of course, Bart and I hadn't been on speaking terms since our last meeting but I, I just can't stop thinking about him. It was funny. I, Jessica Lovejoy, had betrayed Bart Simpson and now it is me, Jessica Lovejoy, who can't stop thinking about him. I must have stared at him for a good five minutes when my sense of reality kicked in and I turned away.

Unfortunately, my father had seen it while he was delivering his incredibly boring speech. I was jerked back to reality when I heard: "Jessica no! The boy is the devil's child!"

It was hideously embarrassing. I turned away to look somewhere else, anywhere else, when my gaze fell upon… uh… Martin Prince. So now it looked as if I had a crush on Martin Prince! Oh God, I said it again, the humanity! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nelson Muntz snickering. I turned away, the blush of embarrassment creeping on my face. This was horrible.

"Ha-Ha!" Nelson jeered. "Jessica likes Martin!"

It set off a chorus. I swear, every child in that church must have been singing "Jessica likes Martin! Jessica likes Martin!" That is, everyone save for Bart. He seemed distant, somewhat hurt, if you will.

Needless to say, the collapse of boredom and tedium was further reiterated when my father grabbed by wrist and hauled me outside. "Seems like you need a taste of the good book," he was muttering. "Have you already forgotten the words of the Bible: 'Whatever is pure…" He lost me. Honestly, I couldn't have cared less. "… That Bart Simpson is the Spawn of Satan. You don't need him."

I was trapped in my room all day. I had received no punishment, but the thought of going out there, where every child was spending a Sunday evening, was punishment enough. I thought it was a good thing it was summer break, where every day was the weekend. But I needed some solace. My father refused to let the issue die. Every so often, he'd come into my room, sputtering off some new Bible verses and other such nonsense. I can hear him praying about me, about my future. Man, I had to get away.

So here I am, walking out on a moonlit night. Truth be told, the moon was pretty big. And for once, most of the lights were turned off, so billions of stars had made their presence known in a fantastic display. I could get lost in them forever. I walked away, seeing the big hills that overlooked Springfield, and a giant oak tree on top of one of them. There was someone there, sitting under it.

I squinted slightly, trying to see the figure out who was sitting there. I cocked my head slightly, trying to make out the figure there. Slowly, I made my way over the hills. "Hey up there!" I called. There was no answer from him, he obviously didn't hear well enough.

So I began climbing. When I think back to this moment, I honestly don't know why I was so determined to see who was sitting there. He could be a pedophile, a rapist, or a child murderer. The point was, he could be anything. But who would imagine that the person sitting there would be the Spawn of Satan himself!? Bart Simpson, watching the stars! I almost felt like laughing at my surprise.

"Hey there," I greeted, in my most confident voice. But I was certain, after what had happened in church earlier, he would just burst out laughing…

… But he didn't. "Hey Jessica," was his greeting. Bart turned away to look at the sky again. "What are you doing here?"

"I just had to get away from my dad," I answered. "He is so annoying."

"Really?" Bart seemed surprised. "I didn't think he'd get so mad about you being in love with Martin."

I felt a flash of anger, but remained silent, keeping my ten-year old self from spitting out a string of profanities.

"What's wrong?" Bart asked.

"I'm not in love with Martin," I told him. "I, I just…" I let out a cry of frustration. "… Why am I even explaining myself to you anyway?"

"Don't ask me," Bart returned, with a smug smile. "You decided to."

For a moment, I felt ready to hit him. His smug smile, his cockiness, it was so upsetting. But I sighed and let it go. I turned away from him. "You're so arrogant," I said.

"Don't have a cow Jess," he said, making good on his old catchphrase.

That was the age old arrogance that accompanied Bart Simpson everywhere he went. I hated that arrogance in him. But it was the same arrogance that made him popular around the school yard.

"What, now you're mad at me?"

I turned around and glared daggers at him. Of course I'd be mad! He gave mad me so angry. I couldn't stand him sometimes. You would see him in the school yard, chatting it up with Sherri and Terri, like he was a damn ladies man or something. The worst part of it… they always bought it!

"Just leave me alone Bart…" I sighed. "Go away."

"Hey man," Bart said. "I was here first."

I turned away from him again. For a moment, it was total silence. And then, I broke the silence. "So what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Aw, Homer was getting on my nerves," Bart answered, referencing his neck, implying that his father was choking him again. "Lisa, too. I just needed to get away."

"Oh. Well, I know what you mean." Well, that wasn't completely true. I was an only child and my father didn't strangle me. But I was with him as far as my father getting on my nerves went.

Bart turned away, silent again. I turned back to him. He seemed a little sad. I had to ask what. So I did.

"It's just… well…" Bart broke away.

I smiled at him. "Tell me."

"I dunno," Bart admitted. "I was just thinking about things. My father the idiot. My mother, who prefers Lisa. My sister Lisa, the 'perfect child'. You don't know how lucky it is that you're an only child."

I sat down next to Bart and looked at him. "So you're feeling a little left out then."

"You wouldn't understand," Bart replied.

"Try me."

"Let's face it," Bart said, more to himself than to me. "Lisa's the future of the Simpson family. Sure, it may seem like I'm havin' a great time, but when I grow up, it's over for me."

"No it's not." I looked him straight in the eye. "It's never too late for you to change Bart."

"I guess not…"

"You don't believe me," I told him. "But it's true."

"I said, it was." Bart insisted. He was getting defensive now. But I wasn't buying it. He didn't have much faith in himself.

"You don't think much of yourself," I explained to him. "I know you don't believe me."

"Why should I even be listening to you!?" Bart exploded. "Weren't you the one who screwed me over last time!?"

I was at a loss for words now. It was true. "Well if that's the way you feel…" I muttered. "Maybe I should just leave…"

Bart stopped his ranting and turned to me, a shocked expression on his face. Tears were welling up in my eyes now. What he said was the truth, but, still. I was simply trying to help and he shut me out. I turned away, trying to hide my face from him. "… I tried to help you…" I choked out. "… But you're still mad at me…"

"That's not true…" Bart spoke, still shocked at my tears. I don't blame him. Never once would I allow anyone to see me cry. On the school yard, if you cried, you were a dead man. "Jessica… I'm sorry…"

"How do I know that's true!?" I said back. "Or are you just playing with me, like you play with Sherri, Terri, Alison, Alex, and all the rest!"

"Listen to me Jessica," Bart spoke to me, in a soothing voice. "I truly am sorry."

He turned me around to face him. I still had my head down, not wanting to meet his gaze. "Look at me Jessica." Bart cupped a hand under my chin and brought my gaze to meet his. "You were right. I don't have much faith in myself. But I didn't mean to make you cry."

I smiled and laid a hand on his cheek, rubbing it with my thumb. "Bart, you're a great person. I just find it sad that you don't have the faith in yourself as I have in you."

"I know…" Now Bart looked as if he wanted to cry. "But it's alright. No one expects me to do anything great anyway."

"I do." I didn't even know what I was thinking when I said that. It just seemed like it leapt out of my gut into my mouth. But I continued. "I expect more of you than you expect of yourself."

Bart brought his head down in shame. I grabbed his face and pulled it up to meet mine. Bart looked confused. I pulled his face closer to mine and our lips soon met. Bart looked stunned at first, but then submitted and kissed back.

It only lasted a few seconds, but it was a surreal experience. Me and Bart Simpson. The Pastor's daugher and the devil's cabana boy. Both of us, together. Man, it felt good. We parted, staring into each other's eyes. We looked like those lovers on TV, the very stuff we gagged at before.

Bart stuttered. "I, I—"

I silenced him with a finger to his lips. "It's alright Bart. I love you too."

He smiled, as if it was all the reassurance he needed. I nodded and tapped him lighty under the chin. "I'll see you."

"Yeah…" he said, drifting off into dreamland. "I guess so…"

I pulled him close and kissed him on the forehead. "Oh, believe me, I will."

So I left him sitting there, gazing at the stars and climbed back down the hill, thinking to myself. We both had problems and we both came to this hill to sort them out. I looked up, to the starlit sky. The moon shone brighty. Bart and I had lost our problems under this one sky, in that one kiss. I smiled and cast one last look to Bart, who was getting ready to leave as well. I smiled and blew him a kiss.

With that, I walked away home. My dad would be worried about me. But I know I can't tell him where I was and what happened. It's obvious that he wouldn't approve of Bart. But I couldn't care. I loved Bart Simpson. We were never known as the best of people, but I had just witnessed the good side of him. Also, I had seen the good side of myself.

Isn't it funny how two negatives equal a positive?


	3. Under the Starlit Sky II

**Under the Starlit Sky II**

Disclaimer: I do not own The Simpsons. Homer, Bart, Lisa. Marge, Maggie and all other related products belong to 20th Century FOX and Matt Groening. So don't you dare sue me!

… This is a sequel to two other stories of mine _Under the Starlit Sky_ and _Behind the Bartman_…

--

Jessica Lovejoy rested her head on the shoulder of her new boyfriend, Bart Simpson. Bart rested his spiky hair on the raven black hair of Jessica. They sat on one grassy hill, overlooking Springfield from above. They had been seeing each other in secret, knowing their families wouldn't approve of a _second_ relationship between the two, after the first one had ended so disastrously.

Bart seemed distant about something, deep in thought. Jessica noticed this, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Bart answered with a dismissive wave. "It's not important."

"Lisa again?" Jessica asked, staring him in the eye. Bart gave a small nod. "What happened between you two anyway. Nobody's seen you two talk to each other in such a while."

"Something bad," Bart said. "I haven't spoken to either Lisa or Homer since then."

"Major bad blood then…" Jessica said, nodding sympathetically. "… What happened?"

Bart turned away. "I told you, it's not important."

His girl companion smiled, slid a hand under his chin, and brought it back to her. "Tell me."

Bart sighed. _"…Fine…"_

--

_"Bart!" Homer yelled from the kitchen window. "Stop throwing that ball at the house!!!"_

_"But I'm so bored…" Bart complained. "Why can't I go to the movies again?"_

_Marge stuck her head out the window. "Bart, you know that Lisa is getting the Outstanding Students Award today! It's only proper that all of the family be there for it!"_

_"But I don't care about what Lisa did now," Bart retorted. "It's summer for crying out loud and for once, I'm not in summer school! I should spend this time relaxing."_

_Marge shook her head. "Bart, I'm going to have to put my foot down on this one. Now get in here and get dressed."_

--

_About thirty minutes later, The Simpsons had packed up and were driving down to Springfield Elementary. Homer was driving, Marge in the passenger seat, Maggie in Marge's lap, and Bart and Lisa in the backseat. Lisa was bubbling over with excitement while Bart was staring out the window, scowling._

_"I can't believe I'm the only second grader in Springfield Elementary to receive this award ten times!" Lisa was saying to her parents. "I've made school history!"_

_Bart tried to ignore her excitement. She always did good in school. This was his first summer vacation that he didn't have summer school. Thanks to some advice from Lisa's friend, Alison Taylor, Bart had managed to pull up his grades to at least a passing C- score. Still not enough to compete with Lisa's straight A record. The boy sighed, he was defeated in this competition._

_"Try to remember what Alison said…" Bart told himself through gritted teeth. "… Her deal…"_

_"I feel so excited!" Lisa said, for the umpteenth time. "… I've made history…"_

_"We're very proud of you," Marge told her daughter. "The amount of things you've done in this school are very good. Bart, I think you could learn some things from your sister."_

_Marge had intended no harm in her suggestion. It was merely a compliment to his sister. Bart gritted his teeth angrily. Lisa shot him a smug grin. Bart cast a death glare her way. He was not in the mood for this, not today! He had lost a trip to the movies for this! And if Lisa so much as THOUGHT about pestering him, well, she'd better be prepared for the 2008 War of the Simpsons._

_"Lisa, you're the future of this family…" Homer told his daughter. It was then that he'd noticed Bart, staring at him aghast. He backpedaled immediately. "And you Bart, you did good too. He, he…"_

_Bart let out a frustrated 'humph' and looked towards the window again. Lisa didn't notice this and sat back and sighed. It was then she'd caught Bart staring angrily at her from the window. Lisa matched his glare with a smug look of her own. Bart was becoming infuriated. But Lisa didn't seem to know it._

--

_The Award Ceremony arrived and Lisa gained her award, a giant trophy. She was a small beckon of light in what Principal Skinner called, a, 'depressing little school'. Bart was still seething when Lisa so proudly gained her trophy._

_"… And I would like to say, to any other students who might be here, this kind of award can be yours. But you must put in the hours, the time, the hard work. Remember, popularity and charisma can only carry you so far," – she was looking directly at her brother – "… and only intelligence and good grades can make you in the real world…"_

_Bart angrily got up, disrupting the ceremony. Angrily, he walked out to the Simpson car. Though he didn't show it, small tears were welling up in his eyes. He had been humiliated by his little sister. She took advantage of her big day just to put down everything he did! He hated her for that! Although Lisa didn't know it, she'd just set off World War Three and Bart would set off the first shot that night._

_--_

_Bart had waited until Lisa had abandoned her trophy. He'd waited patiently with his spray bottle and hammer. Lisa went downstairs to call on their relatives about her success. That's when Bart decided to strike. Ignoring the fact that everyone would inevitably tie such a heinous crime back to him, Bart slid into Lisa room and began his work, first with the spray bottle. He spray-painted 'Bartman' onto the trophy and began smashing with his hammer. The trophy was dented. In one, final, act, Bart tossed the coveted item out the window and slipped away onto the nearby tree, hiding himself just as Lisa came in and let out her anguished cry of "BART!!!!"_

_Bart leapt down to the ground just as Lisa came out the back door, in a red hot rage. Her face was turning red from the anger. Bart tensed himself for a fight. Lisa made the first move. She swung with her left fist, catching her brother in the jaw. Bart swung next, forcing Lisa away. He immediately took control, tackling Lisa to the floor. Once there, Lisa kicked with her foot, forcing her brother away. The girl took the lead, pouncing on the boy. Bart grabbed her face and forced his forehead into hers. Lisa backed off. Bart threw another fist, catching Lisa in the jaw. She fell and Bart towered over her, his eyes full of rage._

_"BART!!!" immediately, Homer was there. He had Bart's neck in a stranglehold and was holding the boy there for all he was worth. "How dare you hurt your sister!" he grunted._

_"Homer get off!" This time it was Marge. She was angry with Bart too. "What's going on here!?"_

_"Bart ruined my trophy!" Lisa pointed an accusing finger at her brother. "He was jealous of me!"_

_"Is that true Bart!?" Marge demanded. The boy hid his eyes from his mother. They'd all hurt him, he felt. He thought such actions of his were justified because they'd rejected him. He had to get payback. "Then go to your room! You're grounded Bart Simpson!"_

_"You know what!?" Bart yelled at his family. "I'll do you one better. I'm leaving! You'll never see me again!!!"_

_Tears flowing down his face, Bart grabbed his skateboard. Homer was lunging for the boy, but Bart was faster. With one thrust, he pushed his way from the Simpson backyard and was into the streets. Any attempt to catch him was voided. Marge was speechless, angry, enraged. Lisa was hurt, having just found her crushed trophy. Homer was sad, scared, of what might become of his boy out there…_

--

The story ended and a new mood had settled with Bart and Jessica as the night fell upon them. For all this time Jessica had listened without a word. Bart had his head to the ground, tears welling up in his eyes. A single, solitary tear fell from his eye. Jessica wiped it off for him. Bart smiled at her.

"So that's when you came here," Jessica said, finally realizing where she fit into all of this. Bart nodded. "How've you and your family been since?"

"Not really on speaking terms. They act as if they don't know me anymore." Bart shrugged. "They can all eat my shorts if they want."

"That's not a very nice thing to say about your family."

"What do you care?"

"I care," Jessica said, turning his face to her. "Because I love you and I don't want to see you act as a stranger to your family."

"Well what should I do!?" Bart asked, finally exasperated. "I know I shouldn't have snapped like that but, I-I don't know, I was mad, not thinking straight. They don't like me, they only like Lisa. But why should I care about them!?"

"Because they love you," was Jessica's answer. "Bart, I can't judge because I wasn't there. But you were. But you were also mad, so you may have thought things that weren't true."

"Are you saying I'm lying?"

"No, I'm saying that you yourself may not know the true story of what happened between you and Lisa because you were only seeing things from your point of view. You need to talk to your mother and father, but most importantly, you need to talk to Lisa, because that's where your trouble lies. The only way you can put all of this behind you is if you make up with Lisa."

Bart hesitated. Make up with Lisa, as in, be the one to give in? That wasn't how Bart did things. He didn't make himself look weak, especially not in the eyes of his enemies. Even when in spats with Nelson, Bart didn't show weakness. He took Nelson's beatings like he should have. That was why bullies never held any true power against him. But say sorry to Lisa without her initiating it? He needed to think about it.

Jessica seemed to know what he was thinking. "I know it seems hard Bart, but it has to be you. You have to … ugh … 'turn the other cheek' as the Bible would say." Bart sighed, lowered his head. Jessica brought it back up by the chin. "Just trust me…" she said, giving Bart a kiss on the cheek.

"Okay, I'll do it for you," Bart said.

They leaned in to kiss…

--

_The End_


	4. Ceasefire

The small boy slipped into his house, eight o' clock at night. He didn't even know why he was there. Because I promised Jessica, he told himself, pushing himself on further. The truth was, he and his family were at odds, the only reason he was still living here was because the law required it. Technically he didn't have to live here. He was still legally emancipated. But there was something here that he had to do. Something to fix their broken relationship.

The small girl in the other room was still angry. He could hear her slamming drawers, muttering of her destroyed trophy. Bart sighed, sat down on the windowsill, feeling his intention dissolve. Could he really go through with this? It seemed impossible. He was never the good guy in these kinds of situations. That went to his sister, Lisa, the small girl in the other room. Bart felt a knotting in his chest, rethinking his actions. Maybe he did overreact by destroying Lisa's trophy and fighting with her.

This family seemed built on drama. His parents ran into marital problems daily. He and his sister were engaged in a brutal combat of sibling rivalry, reaching its peak at the moment. His relationship with his father was also strained, with his dad being borderline abusive and him being a troublemaker and delinquent. There was only one innocent person in this family. The only one who could not talk. Bart decided that he would see her first, before formulating a plan of action.

Homer and Marge were in their room. Lisa was in hers. Bart tiptoed throughout the hallway and into the baby Maggie's room. The little infant girl was tucked under the blankets, holding her teddy bear. Her pacifier was nestled between the baby's lips. She'd never let go of it. Bart reached down and stroked her head.

"You're so lucky Maggie," Bart told the baby. "You're a baby, you get all the attention by default. Let me give you some advice, don't ever grow up. Stay the way you are. That way, you don't have to worry about such things." The baby obliviously slept, without a care in the world. Bart smiled at her. "You can't do anything wrong 'cause you don't know any better. You break a priceless vase, or trophy, and you can't get in trouble. Mom and Dad would just laugh it off." Bart's features turned more serious. "Maggie, I know I'm not the best brother in the world. In fact, I'm one of the worst. Not just a brother, but a person. I pull mean pranks on kids like Martin, I disrespect my parents, at least Homer, and I break things that mean a lot to people, like Lisa's trophy. And I always feel sorry for it."

Bart stopped for a moment. Maggie turned over and settled down in peace. "I'm sorry for the trouble I may of caused you before Maggie," Bart said. "All of my pranks always end up costing the family in the end. I'm sure you remember when I pulled that little stunt on Christmas." Bart stepped back, composed himself. "And now, I've torn my relationship with everyone in this family apart: Lisa, Mom, Homer… They all hate me now, and I'm not too fond of them either. They wouldn't mind it if I just… left. Right now I might just do that. There's nothin' wrong with that, I'm still legally emancipated."

"Why is it that you always have to pay for the negative stuff that happens in this family?" Bart asked the sleeping Maggie. "You remember when Homer caused the town to be sealed in the giant dome? Or when Sideshow Bob forced us into the witness protection program, or chased us down in Italy? Well you weren't responsible for the dome. And you're not responsible for Sideshow Bob either. He is my enemy and it's too bad I've dragged you into this. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for every damn thing that happens in this hell-hole."

"Is there a God Maggie?" Bart asked, more to himself now. "I've prayed to him before but he couldn't possibly love me now. After all the bad things I've done and all the bad things I probably will do. Like Sideshow Bob. If I'd just left well enough alone then he wouldn't be stalking us every damn chance he gets. I hate that little prick." Bart finally stopped for a moment, watching the infant baby. "I'm getting off topic. Truth be told, I don't know what I'm trying to say. Y'know, I guess I'm just looking for a way out of all this. But I have no money to run away. But Fat Tony still has that offer. Maybe I should finally take him up on it. His son Michael and I are pretty good friends."

The infant girl let out a small yawn. She opened her eyes and stared up at Bart. He could see she'd been awake all this time, and listening to him. Bart smiled. "I wonder what you'd say if you could talk. You see things all the time and you're pretty smart too. Like that time you helped Lisa and I catch the Babysitter Bandit or when you shot down Fat Tony and those mobsters and yes, I know it was you." Maggie giggled a little. "Can you understand me Maggie?" Bart asked. "Because you act like you can understand a lot of things in this house. It's too bad you can't talk because you could've saved us a lot of trouble."

Bart looked both ways before talking again. "Y'know Maggie, I've had a lot of talks with people in the last few months. First, Alison Taylor, Lisa's friend, interviewed me for a story, but it never ran. I was happy she did. She told me to take my schoolwork more seriously and she wouldn't run the story. My rep was saved." Bart looked around again. "And I have a little girlfriend too. You know Jessica? We had this conversation. We got back together. She convinced me to come back here and talk to Lisa." Bart sighed. "But how am I going to talk to Lisa Maggie?" he pleaded. "She hates me. I've destroyed her trophy. Mom and Homer hate me too. You're my only friend here Maggie. I hope that doesn't change."

The infant sucked her pacifier, watching her older brother with wide eyes. Bart saw this as an opportunity to continue. "… I don't know why I'm this way Maggie, the irresponsible, delinquent, stupid kid. But I try. I try my hardest to be good, but in the end I always fail. I'm Bart Simpson and that's all I'll ever be. Maybe things would be better if I'd never been here, if I could just leave. I should leave. But before I can, I've got to fix things with Lisa here. I've got to put an end to our feud." Maggie cocked her head to the side, as if she didn't understand. "Maggie, you are the best person here, and don't forget that. You could learn a few things from Lisa Maggie. Like, always try your hardest, even when the odds are stacked against you. And always stand up for your beliefs."

Maggie sucked for a moment longer. And then, she pulled the pacifier out of her mouth. Bart watched her curiously, as she uttered her only known word: "Sequel?" Bart chuckled. She'd begun saying that word ever since they saw a movie. It was her first, and only, word so far. It was funny because it was so innocent, so insignificant. That she could say the word now. There she was, Maggie Simpson, who'd seen all of what went on in the Simpson household. She'd heard bad words, she'd seen violence, and she'd even witnessed death. She was smarter and more mature than most babies. Despite her size, Bart had witnessed her handle a gun and shoot mobsters. Bart had seen her play the saxophone with a skill that greatly surpassed Lisa's. In other words, Maggie was beyond a child prodigy. But no one had ever noticed. And thus, Maggie was considered to be a 'normal' baby.

"Maggie," Bart said. "You're pretty funny. You act like an adult, but you're just a baby. I'm surprised you can't talk yet. But, still, I wonder what you'd say…" He took a minute, trying to picture it. "… You'd probably talk about what I'm saying here. You'd probably give me some advice. Maggie, what advice would you give me? What should I do here?" Maggie didn't respond. "Please Maggie, I KNOW you know what to do here. And really, I need your help. Please Maggie, I-I can't do it alone."

Maggie crawled over to the side of the crib, and began undoing the latch holding the side door up. Bart watched as the infant Simpson climbed out of her crib and began crawling over to the door to her room. She began pointing to the hallway. Bart followed her finger, trying to make out the girl's pointing. "You want me to go to Lisa's room? He asked. "You want me to talk to Lisa." Maggie turned, pointed to her parents' room. "You want me to talk to Mom and Dad too, huh?" Maggie nodded at her brother. Bart bowed his head. "This won't be easy Maggie. We're all pretty mad at one another. They might not listen to me…"

Maggie stared down her brother. Bart began to wonder what she might say. A sudden conversation quickly passed through his head:

--

Maggie would say, _"Bart, this is something you have to do if you want to make up with your family. Mommy, Daddy, and Lisa aren't gonna do it. They've been doing it for ten years! It's your turn now._

Bart would say, "But Maggie, I've never done this before. I don't know how. I know I have to talk with them but…"

_"… Isn't it about time you faced up to your responsibility Bart? You did this. You started the fight. Not Lisa, you. You've destroyed your relationship with your family. And now you're feeling sorry for yourself!? Bart, this is your fault. YOU must own up to your responsibilities. You wanted my advice, this is it…"_

"… I just wish there was another way…"

_"… Well there isn't. You must face your faults. Bartholomew Jo-Jo Simpson, you must talk to Lisa and end your feud…"_

"… I'll do it Maggie. I just wish there was an easier way…"

_"… And the whole family wishes Daddy wasn't an alcoholic…"_

--

Lisa had been angry these past few days with no sign of letting up. In the corner of her room lay the destroyed trophy, her pride and accomplishments, gone with one stroke of the hammer. Bart had done it, all of it, and just left. He'd taken no responsibility. Now her mother and father were out of their minds worried about him. Bart had returned home, but had said nothing to his family for days. They'd said nothing to him. He was an outcast now. But Lisa would not rest until she had vindication, an apology from her brother.

As she was thinking, she heard a thump coming from the room opposite hers. Bart had arrived. Probably just to go to sleep, she thought, fuming. But she wouldn't just let this go unanswered. She would get an apology from Bart, even if she had to beat it out of him. She and Bart had battled once, but Marge and Homer broke it up, just as Bart got the last fist in. Lisa felt incomplete, she would always feel that way, until she'd beaten her brother to the floor. And she was feeling very vindictive tonight…

Lisa waited until the noises in Bart's room had stopped. And then, she slipped out. She saw Bart creep into Maggie's room. In order to not wake the baby, Lisa waited outside. But she listen in… "… You're so lucky Maggie…" Bart began by saying. "… You get all the attention by default…" Lisa stopped, calming down a bit. Did Bart just say 'attention'? But was it about the incident? She had to hear more. And so, Lisa Simpson heard all of it. Bart's monologue to Maggie. His taking responsibility. His sadness. His regret. Lisa had no idea Bart was capable of such a thought process. It seemed unbelievable.

As Bart talked on, Lisa began thinking to herself. She saw things from her brother's perspective. Bart? Jealous of her? Lisa chuckled, because she was jealous of him! He was popular, he was well-liked. And Lisa didn't agree with her getting all of the attention. In fact, Lisa had raised herself. Mom and Dad were always dealing with Bart and his crazy antics. That's why she strove so hard to be the best she could be. Because that was the only way she knew how to get attention. "This is ridiculous…" she muttered. It was ridiculous. All of this, all of their sibling rivalry, focused on one thing: attention. Was that why they always fought? It seemed unbelievable. It was, by all means, ridiculous.

A loud, sucking noise interrupted her thought process. Lisa stared back, towards Maggie, who was pointing at her. Bart was standing behind Maggie. Bart saw Lisa and Lisa saw Bart. Brother and sister, facing each other. Neither said a word. They waited for someone else to break the silence. They knew what had to be said. They just didn't want to say it. Everything was on the line here. Their pride, their self-respect, their confidence, everything could be gained or lost here, simply depending on who broke the thick silence and tension that surrounded them.

"Sequel?"

Maggie had spoken that word. Bart and Lisa snapped their gaze off each other, looking down at the year old infant. She gazed back at the both of them, wide-eyed, with the blank expression of a baby. The older siblings, Bart and Lisa, were so startled that they laughed, breaking the tension. Neither of them were brave enough to say anything, they had both been bested by this one-year old girl. They had a good laugh from it. So much so that the entire thing almost dropped! But their eyes met again and they knew that it could be dropped so flippantly. Bart and Lisa knew that if they didn't end this now, it would rise again, another day.

Bart sighed. "Lisa, I-I'm sorry…" The middle sibling cocked her head. "I was just jealous of you and I-"

"- I know all of that Bart," Lisa said. "I heard you talking to Maggie a while ago. Bart, I know you're sorry and I forgive you for the trophy. But that's not the issue anymore. The issue is, each other."

"Each other?" Bart asked, confused.

Lisa nodded. "Bart, I've heard of sibling rivalry, but we just take it to a whole new level. Our fights, they're more than a brother-sister fight should be. As what happened with the trophy, they are more personal than normal sibling fights. Bart, this is serious. We need to end it, right here, right now. Otherwise, it'll get worse and worse until … I shudder to think about where we could end up now."

"I know we have a problem Lisa," Bart said. "This has been going on since you were born. I've been jealous of you because you've been so smart. It's amazing, what a little jealousy can do to you…"

"The Bible warns against jealousy, Bart." Lisa looked her brother dead in the eye. "It can be a dangerous thing. And it's not only you who's been jealous. I've been jealous of you too. Bart, you're so popular and everything comes so easily to you. I had to work for my status in school. Bart, you've eased into yours. That's what makes me so arrogant in every chance I get."

"That's why I'm so arrogant," Bart admitted. "I've grown to be so jealous of you. Every chance I got, I just wanted… to get a little of the … good … attention of my own." Bart turned to Lisa. "But you shouldn't be jealous of me, Lisa. You're a much better person than me."

"It's not true Bart, what they say about you, what you say about yourself." Lisa turned to face Bart. "You're very smart, no matter what I've said about you. Have you seen some of your pranks, or what you do when you set your mind to it? Bart, Sideshow Bob's a genius, and you've single-handedly outwitted him several times." Lisa chuckled. "Remember the Babysitter Bandit?" she asked. Bart nodded. "You came up with the idea to beat her, not me."

"Yeah…" Bart said, drifting off into the past. "… I wonder where she went anyway?"

"Who knows?" Lisa shrugged. "I just hope someone's finally caught her. To be fair, she was better than Sideshow Bob, though."

Bart chuckled. "That's true. We would have been the ones to have caught her, had it not been for Homer."

"Dad's always doing stupid stuff," Lisa said. "I'm pretty sure you still remember the dome."

"How could I not?" Bart asked. "That mob was the one that almost killed us."

Their conversation was interrupted by a sucking sound. Maggie had wormed her way between her siblings. Lisa smiled, picked her up. "Thanks Maggie, you really helped us today."

"Yeah," Bart said, rubbing the baby's hair. "Had it not been for you, we would never have made up."

Lisa turned to Bart. "Bart, I know we'll fight again, I just hope it'll never be as bad as this one."

"I'm pretty sure it won't," Bart assured her. The two siblings hugged each other and Maggie became squeezed in the middle. The baby removed her pacifier:

"Ceasefire?"

--

Secretly, unbeknownst to the kids, Homer and Marge watched from the doorway to their own room. Homer smiled. "Y'know Marge," he said. "We're great parents…"

"We sure are Homer. We sure are…"

--

_**And that's the end of **__**Ceasefire**__**, the last chapter of the Bart and Lisa Series. READ AND REVIEW! And check my profile, as this story has come out far sooner that I'd thought it would. Still, I did put a lot of work into it, and I want to know what you think of it.**_

"… _**Read it… Read it… Read it… Review it… Read it…"**_


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